Page 498
An.1688
Hard Rains. They see Land.
had been obliged to have altered our course ac- cordingly. But now it being abated , we found our Vessel lively enough with that small sail which was then aboard, to hale to our former course, S. S. E. which accordingly we did, being now in hopes again to get to the Island Sumatra.
But about 2 a clock in the morning of the 19th day, we had another gust of Wind, with much Thunder, Lightening, and Rain, which lasted till day, and obliged us to put before the Wind a- gain, steering thus for several hours. It was very dark, and the hard Rain soaked us so throughly, that we had not one dry thread about us. The Rain chill'd us extreamly ; for any fresh water is much colder than that of the Sea. For even in the coldest Climates the Sea is warm, and in the hottest Climates the Rain is cold, and unwhole- fome for mans body. In this wet starveling plight we spent the tedious night. Never did poor Ma- riners on a Lee-shore more earnestly long for the dawning light, than we did now. At length the day appeared; but with such dark black Clouds near the Horizon, that the first glimpse of the Dawn appeared 30 or 40 degrees high; which was dreadful enough : for it is a common saying a- mong Sea-men, and true as I have experienced, that a high dawn will have high winds, and a low dawn, small winds.
We continued our course still East, before Wind and Sea, till about 8 a clock in the morning of this 19th day ; and then one of our Malayan friends cried out, Pulo Way. Mr. Hall, and Ambrose, and I, thought the fellow had said, Pull away, an ex- pression usual among English Sea-men, when they are Rowing. And we wonder'd what he meant by it, till we saw him point to his consorts; & then we looking that way, saw Land appearing, like an Island, and all our Malayans said it was an Island